Mr Pompeo on Tuesday warned the Russian President is “intent on undermining democracies” across the world while visiting Central Eastern Europe. He went on to say that the United States and Europe didn’t recognise the risk and took their “eye off the ball”. But his comments contrast those of Donald Trump who has insisted the US should improve its relationship with Russia.
This is despite the investigation into whether members of the Trump presidential campaign colluded with Russia to undermine US democracy and influence the outcome of the 2016 elections.
Specific researchers and the US intelligence community believe that Russia interfered with the elections in order to influence divisions within society.
Mr Pompeo has repeatedly said on his trip that he hopes the US can strengthen ties to its allies as well as decrease any Russian influence in the region.
He has currently been visiting formerly communist countries like Hungary, Poland and Slovakia which hadn’t been visited by a US Secretary of State for the past 14 years.
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The Secretary told people at an event in Slovakia: “For a decade and a half, or a little bit more, too many in the West took a holiday. 1989 was a momentous time.
“In 1991 and 1992, more good came as the Soviet Union fell and I think too many places, the United States and Europe, took a holiday, took our eye off the ball, didn’t recognise the risk.
“Let me assure you that Vladimir Putin is intent on undermining democracies throughout the world. Make no mistake about it. We should be very candid about that.
“We should talk about the things that we can do together to make sure that our democracies are strong, that each of us takes care of our countries first and then works together to achieve good outcomes on behalf of freedom and liberty.”
It is suspected that Slovakia and Hungary are developing closer links to Russia in recent years.
Due to this assumption, Trump administration officials have been asked to reach out to Central Eastern European leaders.
However, Poland and Hungary have been accused of democratic backsliding, including stifling free press and undermining the rule of law, according to Newsweek.
Pompeo added Slovakia’s experience living under Soviet domination within the Warsaw Pact gives the country “a special appreciation for the aggressive role Russia continues to play in the region.”